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Psychiatric
Association Statement on �Repressed� Memories of Abuse

In an attempt to guide psychiatrists
dealing withpatients who now
recall memories of childhood sexual abuse, the American Psychiatric
Association in February issued a formal statement on the issue
(�Statement on Memories of Sexual Abuse�)

�We
are especially concerned,� the statement reads, �that the public
confusion and dismay over this issue and the possibility of false
accusations not discredit the reports of patients who have indeed been
traumatized by actual previous abuse.� Indeed, the coping mechanisms
used by abused children sometimes �result in a lack of conscious
awareness of the abuse for varying periods of time. Conscious thoughts
and feelings stemming from the abuse may emerge at a later date.� Yet
the statement notes that in cases which are not well-documented, �it
is not known how to distinguish, with complete accuracy, memories based
on true events from those derived from other sources.�

In fact �memories can be
significantly influenced by questioning, especially in young children.
Memories also can be significantly influenced by a trusted person (e.g.,
therapist, parent in a custody dispute) who suggests abuse as an
explanation for symptoms/problems, despite initial lack of memory of
such abuse. It has also been shown that repeated questioning may lead
individuals to report 'memories' of events that never occurred.�

In the end, the statement concludes,
�It is not known what proportion of adults who report memories of
sexual abuse were actually abused. Many individuals who recover memories
of abuse have been able to find corroborating information about their
memories. However, no such information can be found, or is possible to
obtain, in some situations.�

Clinicians, the report urges, should
maintain an empathetic, non-judgmental, neutral stance. . . A strong
prior belief by the psychiatrist that sexual abuse, or other factors,
are or are not the cause of the patient's problems is likely to
interfere with appropriate assessment and treatment. . . Expression of
disbelief is likely to cause the patient further pain and decrease
his/her willingness to seek needed psychiatric treatment. Similarly,
clinicians should not exert pressure on patients to believe in events
that may not have occurred, or to prematurely disrupt important
decisions based on these speculations.

�Clinicians who have not had the
training necessary to evaluate and treat patients with a broad range of
psychiatric disorders are at risk of causing harm by providing
inadequate care for the patient's psychiatric problems and by increasing
the patient's resistance to obtaining and responding to appropriate
treatment in the future. In addition, special knowledge and experience
are necessary to properly evaluate and/or treat patients who report the
emergence of memories during the use of specialized interview techniques
(e.g., the use of hypnosis or amytal), or during the course of
litigation. (From �APA Issues Statement on Memories of Sexual
Abuse,� Psychiatric Times, Feb. 26, 1994)